Gate and door sequence



Nov. 22, 1932. E M. BOUTON GATE AND DOOR SEQUNCE Filed nec. 2o, 1929 Patented Nov. 1,932V

UNirED fsrArEs-[PATl-:Nr 4ol-Flc-E maar. 1r. noU'roN, or ranxnmon, ILLINOIS. assrenon 'ro wnsrmcnotrsn nnncrnrc nnnvaron conm, acoarona'rron or ILLmors earn m noon sneungicn v appunti mea member ac, 192e. seria ne; 5,459.

My invention relates to elevator doors and gates and morey particularly to the mecha-` nism employed for opening and closing such doors and gates. i In various installations of automatic elevators; that is, elevators arranged to be operated bythe passengers instead ofby car attendants, the corridor doors and the elevator gates are provided with means forbiasing them toward their closed positions so that they will close when they are not held open.' Usually, the doors and gates are also irovided with checkini devices that cause t em to move slowly durmg the latter part of their closing movements so that they. will -close gentl c c.

In elevators provided with closing Ydevices of the character indicated when a passengen desires to get on the car, it is necessary for,

him to open both the corridor door and the car gate and hold both of them open while he enters the car. In leaving the car, the passenger must open both the gate and door and c hold them open while he makes his exit therefrom. In manyinstances, the passengers are burdened with bundles or packa e'srwhichv make it awkward for them to hol both the door and the gate while entering por leaving' the car.

Therefore,` itis an object of my-invention to provide for causing theV corridor door,

when moved to its open position, to remain in that position untilthe c'ar gate is closed inYV order to relieve the passenger of the necessity of simultaneously holding both the door and forms my invention may take, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure' 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an elevator frate and a corridor door that are provided with operating mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the operating mechanism for the gateshown in Fig. l.

In the drawing, I have illustrated an elevator car door or gate las disposed adjacent to a corridor door-2, when viewed from the interior 'of an elevator car (not shown).

The car door orgate 1 is shown as being oi. the collapsible t pe that is mountedu on the door frame 3 o the car by means o a -plurality of rollers 4 in such manner that it may be readily moved into a collapsed position lat one side of the doorway by a passenger when he desires to enter or leave the car'.

'Anactuating device 5 is provided for biasing the door or gate l toa closed position so that'it will close when it is not being held open. TheV actuating device 5 comprises a cylinder 6, a` piston 7 that is disposed to op- ,erate in the cylinder and a compression spring l8 for operating the piston. The spring A8v is mounted upon a rod 9 in a compressed position between the upper head of the cylinder 6 and the head of the piston 7. The position of the compressed spring causes it to exert av force upon the piston head 7 that tends to pull the piston rod 9 into the cylinder 6.

. The lower end of the cylinder 6 is pivotally connected to a bracket 10 on the gate frame 3, while the free end of the piston rod 9 is pivotally attached to a gate-moving arm comprisingv a pair of pivotally-connected links 11 and 12. The free end of the link 11 is pivotallyattached to a bracket 1 7 on the gate frame .3, and the free end of the link 12 is pivotally attached to the outer end of the gate l in such manner that a pull exerted upon thelink 11 by the piston rod -9'will cause the links to straighten out and thereby move the gate to its closed position. A handle 13 is attached to the gate for the use of the passengers in opening the gate.'

The iston 7 is constructed to neatl lit the cylinder 6 so that it will act as das ipot when the gate 1 is closing and -thereby retard l the ifinal closing movement of the gate in 15 is provided in the c linder 6 to diminish .a suita such manner that it willcome ently'gto rest in its closed position. A suita le vent hole the retardingaction o the dashpot during the first portion of the closing movement until the iston has passed the vent 15. Also, lele inlet valve 16 is mounted in the lower Aend ofthe cylinder 6 to permit air' to enter freely when the piston. is moving u wardly, in order to enable the ate to opened as easily as possible, but w ich closes when the piston is movin downwardly to v restrict the passage of air' rom the cylinder and thus check the speed of the gate.

As shown, the corridor door 2 for closing the entrance from the floor landing to` the elevator shaft is constructed in .three sections that are adapted to slide into and out of a closed position in the-door frame 18.

Mounted in the free edge of the door 2 is a door-latching device 19 of the usual construction for` automatically locking the doorl in its closed position. Inasmuch as such door-latchin devices are old and well-known in theart, a etailed description thereof will not-be given.- Mi

f An actuating device 20y is provided for .biasing the corridor door 2 to a closed osition so that it will close when it is not eld open by a passenger who desires Ato enter or leave the car. Y

The door-actuating device 20 comprises a `cylinder 21, a piston 22 dis osed'therein and a compression spring 23 or operating the piston. The spring 23 is mounted on a piston rod 24 in a compressed position between the piston 22 and the upper end of the cylinder 21. In this position, the spring 23 exerts a force upon the piston 22 that tends to pull the piston rod 24 'into the cylinder 21.

The lower end of the cylinder 21 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 25 attached'to the door frame 18, while-the free end of the piston rod 24 is pivotally 'connected to a doormoving arm comprising a plurality of ivotally-connected links 27, 28 and 29. he link. 28 is pivotally mounted on the ymiddle section of the door 2, while the free'end of the link 27 is pivotally mounted onA a. bracket 30 on the door frame 18, and the free end of the link 29 is attached to the outer section of the door 2. With this arrangement, the spring 23 exerts a pull upon` the piston rod 24l which causes the links 27, 28 .and 29 to straighten `out and thereby move the door 2 .to its closed position. 1

The piston 22 is designed to ft the cylinder 21 so snugly that it will act as a dashpot for checking the finalv closing movement of the door'2.v suitable exhaust Aport 45 may be provided 1n the'cylinder .21 to so control the dashppt eiect of the piston that thel first pprtlon of the door-closingmovement may y Arapid'until the piston p the 'Thethe electromagnet.

w open while t ey enter or leave the car. In

many instances when a passenger is carrying ackages'or bundles it will not be easy Y l forw im to hold both the ate and door as heenters or leaves. There ore, I have provided a door-holding means that will automatically cause the corridor door to remain open after it is opened until the car gate is subsequently closed.

-The door-holding means comprisesa latch 34 for holding the door, an electromagnet 35 for releasing the latch and a switch 36 that is operably responsive to the closing of the car gate for completing a circuit to energlze The latch 34 is pivotally mounted on a l bracket 37 on' the door frame 18 in such position that it will engage a projection 38 on` the door-o erating link 27 when the door is moved to lts open position. When the projection 38 is caught by the latch'34, the link 27 cannot be moved downwardly to close the door until the electromagnet 35 is energized to raise the'latch.

The switch 36 for energizing the electromagnet to raise the latch comprises an insulating base 39 provided with a stationary contact member 40 and a movable contactmember 41. The switch 36 is suitably mounted at the corridor door in such position that. .the movable contact member projects toward the car gate 1. The movable contact member 41 1s pivotally-mounted on the base 39 in such Aposition that it will be moved into engagement with the stationary contact member 40 by a proJection 32 von the gate 1 when the gate 1s moving to the closed position. shown, when the contact `members 40 and 41 are closed by the closing of the gate 1, a cir.-

cuit is completed for energizing the electromagnet 35 to lift the latch 34 from the projection 38 to permit the door 2 to close under the force of the door-actuating device 20;

Althoughl ythe movable contact member 41 will be moved -by the projection 32 when the gate 1. isl opened, its position permits it to then swing away from, instead of toward, the stationary contact member 40. Therefore, the opening of the gate will not effect the circuit for the electromagnet 35. t'

Under some circumstances a passenger 'who has boarded the elevator car may desirethe car vgate v1 toclose more rapidly than usual under the action of the gate-actuating device 5.. "Therefore, f`1 have .provided the cylinder 'than usual.

The exhaust port 47 is controlled by a valve 48 that is operated by an electromagnet 49. The operation of the electromagnet 49 is con'- trolled by a push-button switch on the gate frame 3 so that a passenger may operate the f push button to cause the exhaust port 47 to open when hel desires the gate to-close quickly.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Assuming that a car is standing at a {ioor landing with its gate 1 disposed opposite the corridor gate 2, and that a passenger in v the corridor, desiring to enter the car, Aoperates the door handle 19 to unlock the door 2and move it to an open position, then the opening movement of the door 2causes the door-o erating links 27, 28 and 29 to move into t eir retracted position. In such retractedposition, the projection 38 on the link 27 is caught by the door-holding latch 34, asshown by broken lines, and thus the door is retained in its open position. Therefore, the passenger does not need to holdv the door open. The upward movement of the link 27 exerts a pull upon the piston rod 24 which laces the spring 23 under compression, there y storing up energy that will cause the door to move to its closed position when the latch 34 is released.

Assuming now that the passenger grasps the gate handle -13 and moves the gate 1 to its open position, then the movement ofthe gate causes the gate-operating arm, comprising the links 11 and 12, to fold up.- The upward movement of the link 11 exerts a pull upon the piston rod 9 which compresses the spring 8 and thereby stores up energy' that will cause the car gate to close as soon as it is released by the passenger.

Assuming now' that the passenger is in the car and releases the car gate 1, then the stored v up energy in the spring 8 of the gate-actuating device5 exerts a pull upon the piston rod 9 which, in turn, operates the links 11and 12 to move the gate to its closed position. As the gate approaches its closedposition, the piston head 7 moves downwardly in the cylinder 6 and thc dashpot action 'thereof slows,

up the closing movement of the gate.'

Assuming that the passenger, being in av hurry and desi-ring to have the vear gate close as quickly as possible, presses the push button 50, then a circuit is completed for energizing the electromagnet 49 which: circuit extends from a supply conductor L1, through conductor 51, the coil of the electromagnet 49, con ductor 52, the contact members of the push button 50 and conductor53, to a supplyconl ductor L2. The energization of the electrolmagnet 49 causes itto pull the valve 48 from.

the exhaust port 47, thereby releasing the -airv in the cylinder 6 to permit the free action of the piston 7 and operation of the compressed spring 8 to close the gate quickly.

As the gate 2 closes, the projection l32 there- 'on engages the movable contact member 41 on the switch 36 and movesl it into engagement with the stationary contact member 40, thereby completing a circuit for energizing the electromagnet 35, which circuit extends from the supply conductor L1, through conductor 55, the coil of the electromagnet 35,

conductor 56. the-stationary contact member 40, the movable contact member 41 andl conductor 57, to the supplyjconductor L2.

The energization ofthe electromagnet 35 causes it to raise the door-holding latch 34 and thereby release the projection 38. The release of the projection 38 permits the link 27 to move downwardly Aunder the operation ofthe door-actuating device 20 and thereby effects theclosingof the door 2. As the door 2 approaches its closed position, under the force exerted by the spring 23, the piston 22 reaches the lower part of the cylinder 21 and thereby acts as a door check to slow up the closing movement of the door and cause it to come gently to rest in its closed position.

While I have, for the sakesof simplicity, shown the passenger-controlled release valve as applied only tothe gate-actuating device 5 to enable passengers to control the closing speed of the gate, a similar release valve may be appled'to the door-actuating device 20 for controlling its closing speed, if desired. Therefore, it will be seen that I have provided a door-and-gate-operating vmechanism for use in automatic elevators that will permit the passengers' thereon to operate the doors and gates with a minimum amount of effort andto also control the closing speed of the doors and gates.

While I have illustrated and described only onespeeiiic embodiment of my invention, I realize that it is susceptible of many applications and I do notI desire to be limited to the lprecise construction shown and described.

I claim as my invention i 1. In an elevator system` a pair of doors,

means for retaining one 'of said doors in its doors for operating' said retainingmeansto release the retained door.

2. InV an elevator system, a pair of cooperatingdoors, means for biasing said doors to' their closedpositlons. means for retaining aol onev of said doors in its open position when'.

itismoved to said open position, and means operably responsive to the closingof the other 1 of said doors for -operatingsaid retaining means to permit'theretain'ed door to close.'

\ ,3. In an elevatorvsystem, a pair of doors, 1 means for biasing the doors to their closed -positions,'ag1a;tch for retaining one of said ldo'cnfs in its open position after it has been lao' opened, an electromagnet for releasing said latch, a circuit for said electromagnet, anda vswitch for controlling said circuit, said switch being disposed to be operated by the closin of the other of said doors to energize sai electromagnet to release said latch. I

4. In an elevator system, a car gate, meansfor biasing the gate to a closed position a. corridor door, means for biasing thecorri or lo door to a closed position, means for retaining the corridor door its open position, 'andvmeans operably responsive to movement ofthe car gate for o erating said retaining means to release'said oor.`

15- 5. In an Lelevator system, a pair of doors,

means for retaining one of said doors in' its open position, means oV rably responsive to a closing movement of t e other of said doors for releasing the 'retained door, means for applying a predetermined checking eifect to the closing movement of said other door,- and means disposed to be operated-by a passengerv f for decreasing the checking effect to permit said other door to close quickly. A

25 6. In an elevator system, a pair of doors, means for retaining one of said doors in its open position, -means operably responsive to a closing movement of the other of said do'ors for releasing the retained door, means for I3 applying a predetermined checking. eiect to the closing movement of l said other door, means ydisposed to be operated by a passenger for decreasing the checking eiect to permit said other door to close quickly, and means 3'5 for automatically returnin 'the checking means to its predetermine setting after operation of the passenger operated means.V

7. Inan .elevator system, a vpair of co'- operating doors, means'for biasing said doors 4.0 to-their closed positions, means for retaining' Aone of said doors ,in its open position when. v it is moved to said open position, means oper ably 'responsive' to the closing of the other Y of said doors for operating said retaining $5 means to permit the retained door to close,

a dashpot for applying achecking effect to the door as it closes, a valve foro g said dash-pot to permit said other' doof to close quickly, anelectromagnet forv opening said 5 valve, a circuit vfor said .electromagnet and a switch connected in said circuit and disposed to be operated by a 'assenger for controlling the operation of sai electromagnetr In testimony whereof, I-have hereunto sub- 55 scribed my name' 9th day of December,

M. BOUTON. 

